Jen Boisvert's Testimony
I’m not sure that anyone can understand what a family goes through when their loved one is murdered, unless their family has gone through it, too. I’m going to do my best to let you know how my family feels. When you go to the hearing for bill S.2008, please consider my statement on behalf of my family.
Amy Carnevale was a sweet and kind 14-year-old girl. She was positive and thoughtful, the first to help her friends, and the first to see the best in everyone. Her smile was infectious. Shortly before her death, Amy finished 8th grade and was eager to begin her freshman year of high school. She was full of hopes and dreams and exuberance. Amy had already chosen to become a cheerleader for Beverly High and had hopes to become a hairdresser upon graduation. We will never know what other goals she may have chosen for her future because on August 23, 1991 she was brutally murdered by 16-year-old Jamie Fuller.
Amy’s murder was premeditated. Prior to killing her, Jamie told others of his plans for doing so. He subsequently lured Amy to his house by asking her to cut his hair. Jamie then coaxed her to join him and his friends for a walk in the woods. Once he had her alone in the woods, Jamie Fuller brutally stabbed Amy Carnevale 10 times. He slashed her throat. He stomped on her face as she mouthed the words "I love you" and lay on the ground and bled to death. Jamie then left her mutilated, lifeless body in the woods and told friends “it was done.” He then washed off in a relative’s pool and drank red Kool-Aid while laughing and commenting on its similarity to blood. Jamie later returned to the woods and with the help of an accomplice, put Amy’s body in a bag and took it to Shoe Pond in Beverly. He tied cinder-blocks to Amy so that her body would not float and sunk her in the pond while saying “It sucks to be you, Amy.”
For the brutal, premeditated murder of our much-loved family member, Jamie was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. With this decision by our judicial system two things happened: a remorseless killer was removed from our society and, although nothing could bring Amy back, justice for Amy and her family and friends, as well as the community of Beverly, Massachusetts was served.
Jamie Fuller showed no remorse at the time of the murder. He did not show remorse at the trial or the appeal, nor has he ever expressed remorse to our family. In fact, after he was convicted, he attempted to escape from prison and he indicated that he had no problem killing people who were in the way of this escape.
Amy’s violent and premeditated death has caused, and continues to cause, her family and friends immeasurable pain. When you hear the horrific details of how your loved one was brutally murdered, the information burns its way into your heart and your soul. There is nothing you can do to stop it, to make it go away, to heal it. It is forever a part of you, like it or not.
Amy’s mother, Cindy Rowe can’t be here today. She never recovered from Amy’s death. She faithfully attended the trial of her daughter’s killer. She listened to every painful detail of the brutal circumstances of the death of her daughter. She was powerless to protect her little girl from this brutality. Cindy endured the near-constant media coverage of her daughter’s death and the lengthy trial. She had constant psychiatric visits and took countless medications as a result. A heartbroken woman, Cindy passed away in 2009.
Amy’s family has fought and continues to fight their personal struggles to survive the effects of her murder. As the victim’s family, we had a small amount of peace knowing that the perpetrator was in his cell and the citizens of our community were safe … nobody else’s little girl could be murdered by this man and we, Amy’s family, could live without fear of retaliation.
We feel that recent legislation that has allowed Jamie Fuller to have the opportunity for parole fails to support not only our rights as victims of a violent crime, but also the right of the larger community to live in safety. We are faced with the terrifying possibility that Amy’s killer could live among us again.
We have no proof, nor do we have any faith, that this vicious murderer has been rehabilitated. In their haste to pass this legislation, the state has neglected to individually evaluate some of the most heinous criminals. Criminals who were tried, convicted and sentenced by the strictest measures possible due to the brutal nature of their crimes. Instead, the state is treating all inmates affected by this legislation by the same standards, even allowing the opportunity for parole retroactively, without considering the impact this will have on the families of murder victims. This is intolerable, unjust and inhumane. Didn’t our family suffer enough when sweet Amy was brutally murdered? Do we really deserve to experience the added pain and fear of her murderer being released back into an innocent community?
Amy Carnevale was a sweet and kind 14-year-old girl. She was positive and thoughtful, the first to help her friends, and the first to see the best in everyone. Her smile was infectious. Shortly before her death, Amy finished 8th grade and was eager to begin her freshman year of high school. She was full of hopes and dreams and exuberance. Amy had already chosen to become a cheerleader for Beverly High and had hopes to become a hairdresser upon graduation. We will never know what other goals she may have chosen for her future because on August 23, 1991 she was brutally murdered by 16-year-old Jamie Fuller.
Amy’s murder was premeditated. Prior to killing her, Jamie told others of his plans for doing so. He subsequently lured Amy to his house by asking her to cut his hair. Jamie then coaxed her to join him and his friends for a walk in the woods. Once he had her alone in the woods, Jamie Fuller brutally stabbed Amy Carnevale 10 times. He slashed her throat. He stomped on her face as she mouthed the words "I love you" and lay on the ground and bled to death. Jamie then left her mutilated, lifeless body in the woods and told friends “it was done.” He then washed off in a relative’s pool and drank red Kool-Aid while laughing and commenting on its similarity to blood. Jamie later returned to the woods and with the help of an accomplice, put Amy’s body in a bag and took it to Shoe Pond in Beverly. He tied cinder-blocks to Amy so that her body would not float and sunk her in the pond while saying “It sucks to be you, Amy.”
For the brutal, premeditated murder of our much-loved family member, Jamie was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. With this decision by our judicial system two things happened: a remorseless killer was removed from our society and, although nothing could bring Amy back, justice for Amy and her family and friends, as well as the community of Beverly, Massachusetts was served.
Jamie Fuller showed no remorse at the time of the murder. He did not show remorse at the trial or the appeal, nor has he ever expressed remorse to our family. In fact, after he was convicted, he attempted to escape from prison and he indicated that he had no problem killing people who were in the way of this escape.
Amy’s violent and premeditated death has caused, and continues to cause, her family and friends immeasurable pain. When you hear the horrific details of how your loved one was brutally murdered, the information burns its way into your heart and your soul. There is nothing you can do to stop it, to make it go away, to heal it. It is forever a part of you, like it or not.
Amy’s mother, Cindy Rowe can’t be here today. She never recovered from Amy’s death. She faithfully attended the trial of her daughter’s killer. She listened to every painful detail of the brutal circumstances of the death of her daughter. She was powerless to protect her little girl from this brutality. Cindy endured the near-constant media coverage of her daughter’s death and the lengthy trial. She had constant psychiatric visits and took countless medications as a result. A heartbroken woman, Cindy passed away in 2009.
Amy’s family has fought and continues to fight their personal struggles to survive the effects of her murder. As the victim’s family, we had a small amount of peace knowing that the perpetrator was in his cell and the citizens of our community were safe … nobody else’s little girl could be murdered by this man and we, Amy’s family, could live without fear of retaliation.
We feel that recent legislation that has allowed Jamie Fuller to have the opportunity for parole fails to support not only our rights as victims of a violent crime, but also the right of the larger community to live in safety. We are faced with the terrifying possibility that Amy’s killer could live among us again.
We have no proof, nor do we have any faith, that this vicious murderer has been rehabilitated. In their haste to pass this legislation, the state has neglected to individually evaluate some of the most heinous criminals. Criminals who were tried, convicted and sentenced by the strictest measures possible due to the brutal nature of their crimes. Instead, the state is treating all inmates affected by this legislation by the same standards, even allowing the opportunity for parole retroactively, without considering the impact this will have on the families of murder victims. This is intolerable, unjust and inhumane. Didn’t our family suffer enough when sweet Amy was brutally murdered? Do we really deserve to experience the added pain and fear of her murderer being released back into an innocent community?
